But the move sparked anger last night with loved ones vowing to flout the diktat ahead of the centenary of the outbreak of war.

In total 888,246 ceramic poppies will surround the Tower of London by Remembrance Day, one for each of member of the British military killed during the Great War.

Every flower has already been sold raising more than £10million for charities including the Royal British Legion.

It seemed like a good idea to buy one and put it on my great uncle’s grave on the 100th anniversary of his death, especially as the poppy is regarded as the symbol of the sacrifice made by so many

Nigel Wickenden

Relatives have blamed “red tape” for preventing them paying tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Nigel Wickenden, 64, from Spalding, Lincs., bought a poppy to place on his great uncle’s grave.

Private John George Sidney Lawrence, of the ninth Battalion Norfolk Regiment, died in 1918 aged 23 during the battle of Epehy. He is buried in the Brie British Cemetery in France.

Mr Wickenden, formerly of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and Lincolnshire Police, said he was “absolutely” going to lay a poppy “regardless” of the rules.

He said: “It seemed like a good idea to buy one and put it on my great uncle’s grave on the 100th anniversary of his death, especially as the poppy is regarded as the symbol of the sacrifice made by so many.”

Officials have been “staggered:” at the public response to the sea of ceramic poppies installed at the Tower of London.

Paul Cummins’ moving piece, Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, has seen thousands of poppies slowly fill the dry moat of the historic monument.

The flowers have been individually planted by volunteers from across Britain. The last one will be placed on November 11, Armistice Day.

The installation has been seen by the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

Private Walter Newman of the Wiltshire Regiment signed up to fight in 1914 and was just 33 when he was killed by a sniper in Kemmel.

His great nephew Mike Elkins, 28, from Sailsbury, Wilts., “I was disappointed we are not allowed to place a ceramic poppy on my great uncle’s grave as a sign of remembrance. “We wanted to leave it as a memorial.”

A spokesman for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission said: “Items of a more permanent nature we advise not to leave on the grave for a number of reasons [because they] can deteriorate very quickly in the climate and start to detract from the appearance of the cemetery.

“If a permanent item is left, we would not remove it immediately, but would have to do so when maintenance was required, or if the item deteriorated.”

Allan Burgess, of the Parachute Regimental Association, added: “I don’t know why they are being fuddy-duddies. When you look at the size of the poppies, it’s just ridiculous.”